The What and Why of C4
Warriors face complex challenges and demands, experience real threat to their lives and well-being, and carry unique burdens and wounds. Spiritual health readies a warrior to navigate these dynamics, equipping them to think, lead, persevere, cope and flourish within the profession of arms.
The C4 model, derived from a wealth of research, is geared toward helping warriors assess, foster, and deepen their spiritual wellness. C4 is built around four concepts that are characteristic of warrior cultures and linked to various faith traditions.
Warrior Calling is linked to an individual’s worldview, how they see themselves, the world around them and their faith. This posture is foundational to how one relates to and experiences being a vocational warrior. A proper grasp of the warrior calling will center an individual, assure them of the sacred nature of their work, and equip them to walk confidently in the face of grave challenges.
Warrior Code is about translating ethical principles into solid action. It functions as concrete practical wisdom, an ethical guide, a moral how-to that enables the combatant to navigate the dangerous military vocation. Inculcating and applying spiritual truth calibrates the moral compass and disciplines the conscience. Further, the moral code protects the warrior’s humanity, insulates them from moral injury and increases the likelihood of returning home intact and with honor.
Warrior Community ensures uniform wearers that they are not alone. Waging war is a corporate endeavor as warriors are representatives, the sword of their people; sent out from them, they fight for them and return to them. When communal solidarity encompasses the movement to, through and from battle, a safety net undergirds warriors. Linkage to a faith community provides corporate accountability, war rituals, a safe context for confession and lament along with assurance of communal honor and remembrance.
Warrior Cleansing affirms that war leaves no one unscathed. Good and evil, life and death, just and unjust, moral and immoral are often framed as black and white concepts. For combatants, the fog of war impedes ethical visibility; clear categories become blurry, black and white becomes gray and clean becomes messy. Sin, shame, and guilt are regularly tied to the warfighting endeavor. Cleansing is essential for the warrior. Faith and spirituality provides tools to combatants to own their stuff, confess boldly while embracing and practicing forgiveness.
Built on these four principles, the C4 training program aims to deepen warrior understanding and practice in the area of spiritual fitness. Modeled from a physical fitness workout, the C4 plan is simple and attainable. It’s a four week-plan with progress markers on the front and back end. The guided exercises can be accomplished in 8-15 minutes a day. Resources for increased training are provided.
To participate in the C4 program:
- Complete the Fitness Survey
- Take the Pre-C4 Fitness Assessment
- Download the Training Plan
- Download the Resources
- Execute the 4-week Program
- Take the Post C-4 Fitness Assessment
Your input on the front and back end is essential for gauging your spiritual development and for making this a more effective program. Thank you for your involvement.
— Chaplain Kory Capps
The warrior’s heart, the warrior’s spirit, the warrior’s soul, are everything. Unless the warrior’s soul sustains him, he cannot be relied on and will fail himself and his commander and his country in the end.
General George C. Marshall
Participation in this program is completely voluntary. All data collected from the surveys and fitness assessments will be collated to gauge the impact of the program. All individual data will remain confidential and will not be disclosed. If you decide to participate and consent to the confidential use of your survey data, please complete the survey and assessments. Any questions, please direct them to korycapps@gmail.com.
C4 Warrior Fitness 